The Women’s World Chess Championship 2017 will take place from 10 February to 5 March in Tehran.
In September 2016, during the 2016 Baku Chess Olympiad which took place in Azerbaijan, the World Chess Federation (FIDE)’s general assembly decided to host the Women’s World Chess Championship 2017 in Iran.
Sixty-four players will compete at the championship which will follow the knockout system.
Russia’s Natalia Pogonina was the Women’s World Chess Championship 2014’s runner up, which took place in Sochi, Russia. India’s Harika Dronavalli and Sweden’s Pia Cramling reached the semifinal at the same tournament; the three players will compete at the upcoming Women’s World Championship.
Being the 2014 world junior chess champion, Russia’s Aleksandra Goryachkina will compete at the upcoming Women World Championship. Goryachkina was also the 2013 world junior chess champion. Also Ukraine’s Nataliya Buksa will compete there as she was the 2015 world junior chess champion.
According to the FIDE’s rating list which includes players who played at least 30 games, with the average rating from February 2015 to January 2016, the following players were selected to take part at the prestigious event: Ju Wenjun, Zhao Xue, and Shen Yang who are representing China; Anna Muzychuk and Anna Ushenina, representing Ukraine; and Alexandra Kosteniuk who represents Russia.
Adding to these 11 players, 28 European champions of the 2014 and 2015 European Championship will also participate.
The European champions are: Valentina Gunina, Alina Kashlinskaya, Anastasia Bodnaruk, Marina Guseva, Olga Girya, Ekaterina Kovalevskaya, Daria Charochkina, and Anastasia Savina, representing Russia; Salome Melia, Nana Dzagnidze, Nino Batsiashvili, Lela Javakhishvili, Nino Khurtsidze, Bela Khotenashvili, Sopiko Guramishvili, and Sofio Gvetadze from Georgia; Elina Danielian and Lilit Mkrtchian from Armenia; Natalia Zhukova and Inna Gaponenko from Ukraine; Bulgaria’s Antoaneta Stefanova; Belarus’ Nastassia Ziaziulkina; Poland’s Monika Soćko; Romania’s Cristina-Adela Foișor; Germany’s Elisabeth Pähtz; Hoàng Thanh Trang representing Hungary; Ekaterina Atalik representing Turkey; and Olga Zimina representing Italy.
Indonesian Irine Kharisma Sukandar, winner of the Asian Chess Championship 2014, and Iranian Mitra Hejazipour, champion of the Asian Chess Championship 2015, will also be playing at the upcoming event.
In addition to Sukandar and Hejazipour, the following Asian champions are taking part: China’s Tan Zhongyi, Zhai Mo, Ni Shiqun, Huang Qian; Kazakhstan’s Dinara Saduakassova; Vietnam’s Phạm Lê Thảo Nguyên; Bangladesh’s Shamima Akter Liza; India’s Padmini Rout; and Zhu Chen.
Australian champion Nancy Lane was also qualified.
From the American continent, the following champions were qualified: Katerina Nemcova, Viktorija Ni, and Sabina-Francesca Foişor representing the US; Cuba’s Maritza Arribas Robaina and Yaniet Marrero López; Canada’s Qiyu Zhou; Peru’s Deysi Estela Cori Tello; and Argentina’s Ayelen Martinez.
Only players from Egypt and Algeria were selected from Africa. Mona Khaled will be representing Egypt, while both Amina Mezioud and Sabrina Latreche will be representing Algeria.
The FIDE nominated two Iranian players to take part: Sarasadat Khademalsharieh and Atousa Pourkashiyan.
